City Overview Zurich
Zurich (locally only called Züri ) is a synonym for international banking and, despite its rather modest dimensions, also of outstanding cultural importance.
Zurich – the gateway to the mountains – is located in the center of the canton of the same name on the central level of Switzerland, which rises towards the south and towards the Alps. The city is at the northern end of Lake Zurich, the banks of which are lined with promenades and elegant villas.
Although Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland, it aptly called itself “Little Big City” and has an old town that is compact enough to be explored on foot. The traditional of the city, which can be found everywhere, should not hide the fact that Zurich is modern, cosmopolitan and international. Because these attributes are the actual principles that determine the life and cohesion of the city.
The citizens enjoy a high standard of living, and this can be seen in the top restaurants and the proud number of around 2,000 restaurants, the cafes, the more than 50 modern bars and discos in the old town and in the shopping paradise in the large pedestrian zones on both sides of the Limmat . If you find the comfortable lifestyle of the citizens a little too tame, you can also find alternative places here. After all, Zurich is the city where the anarchic artist movement Dadaism originated.
In addition to safety and cleanliness, guests appreciate the wide range of culture, gastronomy and local recreation areas in Zurich. In 2006 Zurich was also praised by Reader’s Digest as the friendliest city in Europe as part of a courtesy test .
The most famous places in the city are undoubtedly the Fraumünster with famous windows by Marc Chagall and the Großmünster, which gracefully face each other on the Limmat River. The old town stretches along the river, on the banks of which are some of the most interesting alleys and buildings.
The old town is surrounded by the Zurich circles (districts), which are clockwise around the city center and the number of which corresponds to the last digit of the postcode. The famous district of Oerlikon is, for. B. in district 11. In summer, the city offers a very beautiful view, and the mountains and the clear blue sky are reflected in the lake, which can be used with a normal local transport ticket on regular boats of the Zurich transport company. But the snowfall in winter also has its own magic.
In Zurich, old becomes new, with the old increasingly remaining in the new. Zurich has numerous large and small conversion or renovation projects in the quiver – and will surprise with new, glamorous buildings in the coming years. On the southern outskirts of Zurich, a former industrial zone was transformed into the new SihlCity district. Whether living, working, shopping or enjoying yourself – SihlCity offers 100,000 m² of shopping enjoyment, gastronomic highlights, extravagant apartments, business areas and culture in the form of cinema halls.
On the Hönggerberg, Science City is developing a district for culture of thought. Here, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) is developing a university campus and a city district for culture of thought in one. Science City becomes a hub of knowledge and a platform for cross-border dialogues between science, society and business – and thus a new model for the university of the 21st century.
A new district is also emerging in the center of Zurich: Europaallee, an urban district that fits into the existing quarters, enriches them with attractive streets and makes the train station more attractive with a carefully mixed use. By 2020, a total of 1,800 study places will be created at the Zurich University of Education, over 6,000 workplaces, 400 apartments, a design hotel and a diverse mix of retail, restaurants, bars and shops close to the district on the ground floors.
Important facts
Area code: (Switzerland); 43 or 44 (Zurich)
Population: 1.48 million (Canton of Zurich). (Source: Canton of Zurich Statistical Office)
Latitude: 47.375371
Longitude: 8.541969
Weather in Zurich
Zurich enjoys a relatively typical continental climate. In summer (June to August) the average temperature is over 21 ° C. During this time, Lake Zurich and the Limmat invite you to take a bath. Temperatures drop significantly in winter, but the city’s art scene and many tourist attractions make Zurich a popular travel destination all year round. The Christmas market is a special attraction during the cold season.
City History of Zurich
Zurich’s origins date back to 15 BC. BC, when the Roman settlement of Turicum was founded as a customs station to monitor the movement of goods to and from Italy. Although the settlement was inhabited throughout, it took until the 9th century AD to mention the Teutonic city of Zurich. In the 10th century Zurich had the status of a city and in the 16th century, under the leadership of Huldrych Zwingli, became the center of the Swiss religious reformation. It turns out that his motto “praying and working” should have a fundamental impact on this city with its hardworking citizens, and in the 19th century it had become the center of trade and finance in Switzerland.
Today, the site of the former Roman customs post is the Lindenhof, which is a beautiful vantage point and a green oasis. Modern Zurich is a city of bankers in a country of banks. The concentrated wealth of the city can be seen immediately on Bahnhofstrasse, which is flanked by linden trees. All major banks are represented here, especially on Paradeplatz, where elegant shops and designer boutiques line the street, in between there are modern bars and beautiful cafés that stretch from the main train station to Lake Zurich.
Other riches are the city’s excellent universities – Zurich is a leading research center, and collaboration between the private sector and science fosters innovations in design and high-tech. The excellent infrastructure and enchanting atmosphere have confirmed Zurich’s role as an important conference city and travel destination for business people. The city is also culturally significant – there are approximately fifty museums (including the State Museum), around 100 art galleries, auction houses, the opera, the theater, several orchestras and a number of performance venues for contemporary artists in all media.
In the quality of life study by William M. Mercer from 2010, Zurich was named the city with the second highest quality of life in the world after Vienna. The study is based on the evaluation of 39 criteria in 221 major cities.
